Category Archives: From the dresser

Hi all, I have decided to move so I’m getting rid of too much stuff to post about. I am afraid I won’t have time to take a picture of it all and post it over the next several months, I have to move too fast to be ready in time. I’ve found some great recipients for my stuff though,

My family – of course…the sisters get first dibs on everything

My friends – I’ve reached out and although there aren’t that many who want my old junk, I’m trying to match supply with some specific demands there – I might get a few hits

My friends’ kids – I have a few offspring “new apartment” donations happening that I’m really happy about, I set up my first apartment at University with cast offs and vintage and loved that place as much as I’ve loved any home since

My cleaning lady’s church – they have a giant garage sale that funds a breakfast program for kids in their neighbourhood, pretty hard to do better than that

Goodwill – they help you unload your car and I like that they provide employment and are self funding

Garbage – I’ll try and limit the landfill but there is some stuff that no one wants, and I have some toxic waste (paint cans etc.)

I pledge that I will give away at least 256 more things. That’s how many days there are left in the year. I plan to give away at least that many things between now and next weekend.

I want to say thanks for all the encouragement, I’ve had such a great time hearing from some of you and plotting my weekly batch of stuff to get rid of. It was partly this process that helped me finally reach a decision to move and I’m now really excited about it. Ironically, I want to downsize and simplify on a bigger scale. It was very interesting and satisfying to start getting rid of stuff and I’m impatient now to just get it all gone.

To that end, I’m looking for a condo with an excellent view, lots of natural light, low maintenance fees and good closets (I still like my shoes, what can I say!). If you know of such a place, please contact me directly.

Today I’m giving away patterned tights. First, let me say that only some women can wear these well and I am not among that small population. The black and white ones were bought in a moment of panic and creative problem solving. I was at work in old jeans (we were moving offices that day) and was invited last minute to a dinner event that night. I ran to Winner’s, the closest apparel store to my old office, and bought a plain black Calvin Klein dress, big black belt and these tights, the only ones in the store in my size – honest. I was wearing black boots and the dress was knee length so the only part that showed was the four inches around my knee. I never wore them again. I can’t remember why I came to possess the nude tights, I don’t think I ever wore them. Not only are patterned tights challenging on your leg, the pattern feels like little razors on the soles of your feet by the end of the night. I am committed to plain hosiery.

Today I’m giving away this grey, white and black scarf from Right Sleeve. They’re a promotional products company and they did some great work for us – a few times. I use the water bottle they gave me every day but I have so many scarves, I just never wore this. It’s a shame to waste it so I gave it to my friend who was happy to have it. The front hall closet is getting better and better.

If you need anyone to source a great, branded promotional item, click on the link. They’re good people.

Today I’m giving away these summer pajamas. The colour looks a little off in this image, the top is brown and the bottoms are brown and white stripes. They’re Joe Fresh, bought on a whim, and I don’t like the fabric. They’re cute but they’re not 100% cotton, which is clearly a problem for me. I wore them at the cottage in the heat wave last summer and had to change in the middle of the night.

I put them in the goodwill bag last week and they’re gone now so I think they’ve gone with my cleaning lady to her church or to her daughter, I’m happy either way.

Today I’m giving away this black T shirt. I actually really liked this shirt and wore it a lot. It has a nice neckline and is made from fairly thick cotton so it had a nice hang to it and was great for travelling because you could get more than one wear out of it. It went to Argentina and Burma with me. Somewhere along the way it became too short. Probably laundering or maybe my changing taste.

It was in the New Circles box but it’s not there anymore so either one of my sisters got it or my cleaning lady who is welcome to anything in any of the boxes because she takes things for her church and they do great work.

I’m done with winter, anyone else? I say it’s high time we got back into short sleeves.

Today I’m giving away these two barely worn camisoles. One is brown, with brown lace overlay, the other is cream coloured with a little bit of lace edging, it looks a little like an undershirt in this picture but it’s quite dense fabric. They are about 6-8 years old. They’re fine, I just don’t wear them. They went to my sisters (I think two sisters each got one).

I had dinner with a former colleague on Thursday, a guy, who complained about clothing month. Sorry if this isn’t interesting stuff, but I had to get it gone. I have bought a lot of clothes over the years that I either never wear or never wear anymore. It will be over soon.

Today I’m giving away this long sleeved, grey turtle neck. It is an example of a great plan poorly executed. The neck is nice and big and sits just away from your skin so it doesn’t strangle you, which some turtle necks do. The problem is that it’s a really thin knit so it isn’t really warm. It also has a little spandex or lycra in it so I had that artificial fibre reaction. It makes me too hot if I wear it under a winter sweater and way too hot if I wear it skiing, which was what I bought it for. I’m never just right in this turtle neck, either cold or boiling. I’m starting to think that techno fabrics really aren’t for me. The best thing to wear skiing is washable wool long underwear from MEC. You just can’t beat it. I have two tops and one bottom and I wore them every time I skied this winter – perfect.

Today I’m giving away these Joe Fresh pajamas. The shorts are elasticized and they have a tank top with a racer back. They’re okay. The shorts are made of some cotton polyester blend and that is the problem. I hate sleeping in anything polyester, it’s hot and uncomfortable. Yesterday I visited a friend of mind who is under the weather and her daughter confessed that she spends a lot of money on pajamas, I think she has the right idea. My cleaning lady took them for her church. They help a lot of newcomers to Canada and will find a good home for them.

Today I’m giving away this hand “assembled” scarf. My sisters and I try and go to the fabric sale at the Textile Museum every year. They get rid of all kinds of great donated stuff and once they were selling a bag of these knitted ends. One of my sisters bought the bag and then started making scarves out of them by sewing them together in interesting colour combinations. She gave them away as Christmas presents that year. I can’t remember where we were sewing but I remember I was with her when she put this one together. I loved the beachy palatte, all sand and sea water shades. But I don’t wear it anymore because it is very light and doesn’t keep you warm and I can’t wear scarves in warmer weather, too hot.

I had it in my clothing give away box, but the sister who made it saw it and took it back. She wears a scarf every day, 365.

Today I’m giving away this grey oversized sweater. One of my sisters is wearing it in this picture. I’ve given it to her. It’s hard to tell from this picture but she’s quite tall, at least quite a bit taller than me. The sweater looks really great on her and cozy, and the arms are long enough which is a challenge for tall people. On me it didn’t work, it made me look like I was wearing Obi Wan Kenobi’s outerwear. I bought it thinking it would be great for cold days when you just want to disappear into your sweater and then never wore it. It will work for my sister and she was happy to get it.

Good thing, it’s freezing today.

March is clothing month. I’m going to concentrate on clothes, accessories and outerwear every day in March (except Film Fridays). I already have two weeks worth of stuff to give away, I may have to do it again in the fall.